Sanitation workers in Delhi may have called off their agitation but the possibility of future strikes is still haunting the municipal corporations.

Sanitation workers in Delhi may have called off their agitation but the possibility of future strikes is still haunting the municipal corporations.

According to municipal officials, while funds were released to the civic body on Friday, it may not be sufficient for the payment of salaries to all the employees.

In an interesting chain of events, while the Delhi high court ordered the Delhi government to release of funds to the municipal corporation, the BJP mayors met the Lt Governor for the release of Rs 493 crore. The Delhi government however claimed it had already released Rs 513 crore to the municipal corporation on Thursday evening.

Officials said that the money released by the Delhi government will not be enough to clear salaries of all the employees till May and an additional Rs 100 crore was needed.

"While the Delhi government has released Rs 513 crore in funds we still require an additional amount to disburse salaries and pensions. The mayors demanded the additional Rs 100 crore and also the global share of Rs 300 crore for the quarter out of Rs 1,200 crore given annually, be also released to sustain the services," said Ravinder Gupta.

Gupta said the additional Rs 100 crore should be released to streamline the services in the interest of the citizens. He said the corporation is making all out efforts to improve and strengthen its own resources of revenue but until that happens, citizens must not suffer.

The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) was trifurcated into the North, South and East Corporations in 2012. According to officials, while the South Corporation somehow managed to stay afloat, the North and East Corporations have been debt-ridden since their birth.

Sources say that the funds promised by Arvind Kejriwal on Monday was not an additional grant, rather the money was the rightful amount which was already due to be released.

Kejriwal during his dialogue with the municipal employees had announced the immediate release of Rs 500 crore for the payment of salaries on Monday. However, sources in the Delhi government say while the amount is not to be treated as an additional fund to the municipal corporation, the amount would be adjusted in future transactions.

"The amount which was promised by chief minister on Monday was not an additional grant. While the proposal for the fund release has been sent to the finance department, the funds will be treated as a part of the yearly grant or a loan (which is yet to be decided)," said an official of the Delhi government.